Diabetes

Overview of Diabetes

It is a chronic disease associated with abnormally high levels of the sugar glucose in the blood. There are 2 main types of diabetes:

In type I diabetes mellitus, the pancreas does not produce insulin, which is necessary for the body to be able to transport glucose across cell membranes to use as fuel.

In type II diabetes mellitus, the body can produce insulin but in inadequate amounts for the body’s metabolic needs. In type II diabetes, there is tissue resistance to insulin despite overproduction of it and its utilization is impaired.

Signs & Symptoms

Symptoms

Present with Type I

Present with Type II

Frequent urination & thirst

occasionally present

sometimes present

Weakness or fatigue

occasionally present

sometimes present

Extreme hunger/eating with weight loss

occasionally present

not present

Recurrent blurred vision

sometimes present

occasionally present

Vulva/vaginal area irritation or itching

sometimes present

occasionally present

Tingling or numbness in hands/feet

sometimes present

occasionally present

Night bed wetting

occasionally present

not present

Asymptomatic

not present

occasionally present

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on the plasma fasting glucose and 2 hour postprandial blood glucoses. Your doctor will look at these to determine whether or not it is normal, there is impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes mellitus.

Have had previous test of impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose

Prevention

In type II diabetes, exercise and weight control can help prevent or delay onset. In type I diabetes, there is no specific known prevention.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of diabetes mellitus but the goal is to restore normal blood glucose with either pills or combination of pills and insulin in type II diabetes or with insulin in type I diabetes. Insulin is a protein and as a result can’t be ingested as it would be broken down by the stomach’s digestive enzymes. Pills in type II diabetes help the type II diabetic’s body to produce more insulin and/or use the insulin it is producing better or to make counterregulatory hormones for glucose control.

Recommended Resources

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